Die Having Spherical Members

ABSTRACT

A die having spherical members is provided. The die includes a central member, wherein a plurality of spherical members, each having a radius, are disposed on the central member. The radius is such that each of the plurality of spherical members is in tangential contact with each adjacent spherical member. The die can rest on at least three of the plurality of spherical members. An alternate embodiment includes a central member having an equator, wherein a plurality of spherical members are disposed about the equator. The plurality of spheres are disposed at a vertex of a polygon inscribed within the equator, such that the radius allows each of the plurality of spheres to tangentially contact each adjacent sphere. The die rests on two of the plurality of spheres and one of a first end of the central member and a second end of the central member.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/360,034 filed on Jul. 8, 2016. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to dice. Specifically, it relates to dice having spherical members thereon.

Many people play games using dice, such as board games, card games, and the like, however standard cubic dice features six sides, limiting the number of potential outcomes. Given the limited potential outcomes, some people may be looking for games with greater difficulty, complexity, and applications to the real world. This would require dice with more possible outcomes. Therefore, dice that offer more outcome possibilities and offer various shapes are desired.

In light of the devices disclosed in the known art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the known art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing dice. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of dice now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a die wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when randomly determining a value by rolling a die.

The present device comprises a die having a central member, wherein a plurality of spherical members, each having a radius, are disposed on the central member. The radius is configured such that each of the plurality of spherical member is in tangential contact with an adjacent spherical member. The die is configured to rest on at least three of the plurality of spherical members. In some embodiments, the central member comprises a polyhedral shape having a plurality of vertices. In another embodiment, one of the plurality of spherical members is disposed on each of the plurality of vertices. In other embodiments, indicia are disposed on each of the plurality of spherical members. In yet another embodiment, a plurality of planar members extend between the plurality of spherical members. In some embodiments, indicia are disposed on each of the plurality of planar members.

Another embodiment of the present system comprises a die having a central member comprising an equator. A plurality of spheres, each having a radius, are disposed about the equator, wherein each of the plurality of spheres is disposed at a vertex of a polygon inscribed within the equator. The radius is configured such that the plurality of spheres are in tangential contact with each of the adjacent spheres. The die is configured such that, when resting on a surface, two of the plurality of spheres and one of a first end of the central member and a second end of the central member are solely in contact with the surface. In some embodiments, the central member comprises an ellipsoid shape. In another embodiment, a first sphere and a second sphere, each having the radius of the plurality of spheres, are disposed on the first end and the second end, respectively, such that the die is configured to rest on two of the plurality of spherical members and one of the first sphere and the second sphere. In other embodiments, indicia are disposed on each of the plurality of spherical members. In yet another embodiment, indicia are disposed on each of the first sphere and the second sphere. In some embodiments, conical members having indicia thereon are disposed between each of the plurality of spheres and the first and second spheres. In another embodiment, a plurality of planar members extend between the plurality of spherical members and the first and second ends. In other embodiments, indicia are disposed on each of the plurality of planar members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the die having spherical members.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the die having spherical members.

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the die having spherical members.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the die having spherical members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the die. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the die having spherical members. The die 11 comprises a central member 12 having a plurality of spherical members 14 disposed thereon. In some embodiments, the central member 12 comprises a polyhedron having a plurality of vertices 16 thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, the central member 12 comprises a tetrahedron having four vertices 16, however, in alternate embodiments, the central member 12 comprises other polyhedrons with differing numbers of vertices 16.

The plurality of spherical members 14 disposed on the central member 12 each have a radius 15. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of spherical members 14 are disposed at each of the plurality of vertices 16 of the central member 12. The radius 15 is configured such that the plurality of spherical members 14 tangentially contact each adjacent spherical member 14. This arrangement serves to provide an even distribution of the plurality of spherical members 14 such that the randomization of each roll of the die 11 is maximized. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the plurality of spherical members 14 further comprise a flat protrusion 27 disposed opposite the central member 12. These protrusions 27 serve to indicate the upward facing spherical member 14, as the protrusion 27 will lie parallel to the surface the die 11 is rolled upon. In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion 27 comprises a hexagonal cross-section, however in alternate embodiments, the cross-section comprises other shapes, including, but not limited to circular, square, and the like. The die 11 is further configured to rest upon at least three of the plurality of spherical members 14. In the illustrated embodiment, this resting position would leave one of the plurality of spherical members 14 resting above and off of the surface the die 11 is resting on.

In some embodiments, the die 11 further comprises indicia 17. The indicia 17 can comprise numbers, letters, characters, or any combination thereof. In this way, the die 11 can be used to randomly select a variety of values corresponding to various games teaching any number of useful real-world information, such as polar coordinates or DNA and RNA sequencing. In the illustrated embodiment, the indicia 17 are disposed on the protrusions 27. In some embodiments, the indicia 17 are disposed on cylindrical members extending from a face of the central member 12. In some embodiments, the indicia 17 comprise repeating values, such that the odds of rolling a specific value can be altered. For example, using a die 11 having six spherical members 14, the values represented by the indicia 17 can be −1, −1, 0, 0, 1, and 1 to represent the magnitude of a polar coordinate value, wherein the odds to roll any of the three potential values are equivalent.

In the illustrated embodiment, the die 11 further comprises a plurality of planar members 18 extending between adjacent spherical members 14. The plurality of planar members 18 serve to ensure the functionality of the die 11, such that when the die 11 is rolled, the die 11 does not come to rest on a surface in a cocked position and instead rests on at least three of the plurality of spherical members 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of planar members 18 comprise a triangular shape, wherein each side of the planar member 18 in contact with a spherical member 14 is curved to rest flush against the spherical member 14. The plurality of planar members 18 extend no further than the plurality of spherical members 14 in order to preserve the rolling functionality of the die 11. Additionally, in some embodiments, the plurality of planar members further comprises indicia 17 disposed thereon. This allows a die 11 having a central member 12 having a different polyhedral shape to indicate a randomized value, as in some geometries, the die 11 may come to rest on at least three of the plurality of spherical members 14, however the space between two spherical members 14 rests opposite the surface the die 11 was rolled upon. In this way, the indicia 17 disposed on the planar member 18 extending between those two spherical members 14 would indicate the randomized value.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the die having spherical members. In the alternate embodiment, the central member 12 comprises an equator (as shown in FIG. 3, 20), wherein the plurality of spherical members 14 are disposed about the equator. In the illustrated embodiment, the central member 12 further comprises a first end 22 and a second end 23. The die 11 is configured to rest upon two of the plurality of spherical members 14 and one of the first end 22 and the second end 23. In this way, the value rolled is represented by the spherical member 14 opposite the surface. In the illustrated embodiment, the central member 12 comprises an ellipsoid, however in alternate embodiments, the central member 12 can comprise other shapes, such as a sphere or a pair of polyhedrons affixed together at the faces thereof.

In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of planar members 18 extend between the plurality of spherical members 14 and the first and second ends 22, 23. Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of planar members 18 do not extend beyond the plurality of spherical members 14, such that the plurality of planar members 18 do not interfere with the rolling of the die 11.

In the illustrated embodiment, indicia 17 are disposed on the plurality of spherical members 14 and the plurality of planar members 18. The indicia 17 disposed on the plurality of planar members 18 show the same value as the indicia 17 on the spherical member 14 that the planar member 18 extends from. The rolled value is indicated by the indicia 17 opposite the surface the die 11 was rolled upon. In the illustrated embodiment, the indicia 17 are disposed on the protrusions 27.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the die having spherical members. The plurality of spherical members 14 are disposed about an equator 19 of the central member 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the each of the plurality of spherical members 14 are disposed at a vertex 20 of a regular polygon 21 inscribed within the equator 19. The regular polygon 21 comprises a number of sides n, wherein each of the sides have an equal length. In this way, the plurality of spherical members 14 are equally spaced about the central member 12.

In the illustrated embodiment, the central member 12 and the plurality of spherical members 14 each comprise a radius 15, wherein a length of the central member 12 radius r1 and a length of the plurality of spherical members 14 radius r2 are related, such that the length of the plurality of spherical members 14 radius r2 is configured to allow each of the plurality of spherical members 14 to tangentially contact each of the adjacent spherical members 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the relationship between the length of the radii r1 and r2 can be represented by the following equation:

${r\; 2} = \frac{r\; 1\; {\sin \left( \frac{180}{n} \right)}}{1 - {\sin \left( \frac{180}{n} \right)}}$

wherein n represents the number of sides of the inscribed regular polygon 21.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the die having spherical members. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end (as shown in FIG. 2, 23) further comprises a first sphere 24 thereon, and the second end (as shown in FIG. 2, 24) further comprises a second sphere 25 thereon. In this way, the die rests on two of the plurality of spherical members 14 and one of the first sphere 24 and the second sphere 25. As the plurality of spherical members 14 are configured to tangentially contact each adjacent spherical member 14, the central member 12 comprises a smaller form factor than that shown in FIG. 2. The first and second spheres 24, 25 each comprise the same radius as the plurality of spherical members 14. A plurality of truncated cylindrical members 26 are disposed between each of the plurality of spherical members 14 and the first sphere 24 and the second sphere 25. The truncated cylindrical members 26 comprise indicia 17 thereon, such that when the die comes to rest, the indicia 17 disposed opposite the surface rests parallel to the surface to indicate the value rolled.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim: 1) A die, comprising: a central member; a plurality of spherical members having a radius disposed on the central member; wherein the radius is configured such that each of the plurality of spherical members is in tangential contact with each adjacent spherical member; wherein the die is configured to rest on at least three of the plurality of spherical members when disposed on a surface. 2) The die of claim 1, wherein the central member comprises a polyhedral shape having a plurality of vertices. 3) The die of claim 2, wherein one of the plurality of spherical members is disposed on each of the plurality of vertices. 4) The die of claim 1, further comprising indicia disposed on each of the plurality of spherical members. 5) The die of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of planar members extending between the plurality of spherical members. 6) The die of claim 5, further comprising indicia disposed on each of the plurality of planar members. 7) The die of claim 4, wherein the indicia are disposed on a protrusion extending from the plurality of spherical members. 8) A die, comprising: a central member having an equator; a plurality of spheres having a radius disposed about the equator; wherein the plurality of spheres are disposed at a vertex of a polygon inscribed within the equator; wherein the radius is configured such that the plurality of spheres are in tangential contact with each adjacent sphere; wherein the die is configured to rest on two of the plurality of spheres and one of a first end of the central member and a second end of the central member when disposed on a surface. 9) The die of claim 8, wherein the central member comprises an ellipsoid shape. 10) The die of claim 8, wherein a first sphere and a second sphere, each having the same dimensions of the plurality of spheres, is disposed on the first end and the second end, respectively, such that the die is configured to rest on two of the plurality of spheres and one of the first sphere and the second sphere. 11) The die of claim 8, further comprising indicia disposed on each of the plurality of spherical members. 12) The die of claim 10, further comprising indicia disposed on each of the first sphere and the second sphere. 13) The die of claim 10, further comprising truncated cylindrical members having indicia thereon disposed between each of the plurality of spheres and the first and second spheres. 14) The die of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of planar members extending between the plurality of spherical members and the first and second ends. 15) The die of claim 14, further comprising indicia disposed on each of the plurality of planar members. 